The Don in Canada, new film as rare as a duck

CRICKET lovers still pining after Ricky Ponting's retirement now have a little something to ease the pain - a rare film featuring Sir Donald Bradman in action.

The 13-minute black and white film titled Australians in Toronto shows the cricket legend taking part in matches against Canadian teams in 1932. Captured by the Ontario Motion Picture Bureau, it is believed to be only one of two known surviving films depicting Bradman at play somewhere other than Australia or the British Isles.

Bradman was visiting Toronto as part of a 51-match tour organised by the former Australian Test leg spinner Arthur Mailey, who had gathered a team of past and present cricketers including lower grade players.

The tour also acted as an unofficial honeymoon for Bradman and his new wife Jessie Menzies, who joined the touring party at Bradman's request.

The film was released by the National Film and Sound Archive whose curator Simon Smith said the archive was happy to share the clip made at a time when "the spirit of cricket was as important as the result".